Propelling mechanism for boats.



J. T. STAFFORD.

PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BOATS. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 30,1908.

' 912 198, I Patented F6119, 1909.

-gaw N 1 I glvwamioz unr'ran JAMES T. STAFFORD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PRQPELLING- IiiEGHANISTt/I BOATS.

Application filed June 30,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it lZIlOWIl that 1, James '1. S'riisroj citizen of the U 'tcd Statesof Ame 1 a: siding at New Yo in the c nty of blah York and State of 1\CW lo ,3, have invented new and useful Improvements in PropeilingMechanisms for Boats, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in propelling mechanisms for boats,and its pri mary object is the provision of a mechanism of thischaracter which is designed to permit twin r0 ellers to be driven from asingle on gine s 1a t, whereby to sim lify the construction and cost ofsuch mec 1:11118111 and to reduce to the minimum the number of enginesnecessary to propel a boat.

A further object of the invention is the revision of a simple, durableand efficient oundation for the propelling mechanism.

With the above and othe objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, claimed and illustrated.

In the accompanying drawing, l igure 1 is a'top plan View of apropelling mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2is a view in end elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a View in side elevationthereof. Fig. fl is a sectional view of a modified construction of theinion or gear wheel.

Referring to t 9 drawing by reference nu merals,, 1 designates afragmentary portion of the bottom and'2 a fragmentary portion of thestern of a boat of the usual form and construction. A plurality ofrelatively spaced beams or girders 3 are secured to the bottom 1 of theboat and extend trnasvcrsely thereof. The foundation for the propellingmechanism is mounted upon the beams or girders 3 and consists ofintegral 'i' and U-shaped structures. The T -shaped structure comprisesa transversely disposed member 4 and a forwardly extendinglongitudinally disposed member 5, while the U-shaped structurecom risesa transversely disposed mcmher 6 an longitudinally disposed rearwardlyextending members 7. The longitudinally disposed member 5 of the T-shapcd structure is arranged in a plane extending centrally andlongitudinally through the boat, and the longitudinally disposedmeml'iers 7 of the U- shapcd structure are disposed i n parallel planesequally spaced from the plane of the member 5. Each of the members ofthe Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Fen-e, is'oe.

1.)08. Serial No. MLG'TQ.

l foundation ce sists of a base 8, a web 9 and a The 1 ases 8 of themembers land 6 while the h cads 10 thereof are space ihe foundation isse- 1 head 10.

are united, relatively propeller vdi els 16 securedthereto. Pinions 17are fined on the propeller shafts 12 and enter the space between theheads 10 of the members 4 and 6. A single engine shaft 18 is journaledin bearings 19, 20-and 21. The bearing 19 is secured to the head of themem: her a of the T-shaped structure, the bearing 2]. being secured tothe head of the member 6 of the T-sha ed structure. A gear wheel 22 isfixed on t 1e engine shaft 18 and meshes with the pinion 1 7 1n Pg. 1 ofthe drawing, 1 have disclosed a modified form of the pinion or-gearwheel and, by reference to this figure, it will be'seen that the pinionor gear wheel comprises a periphery 23 which is provided with aplurality of dove-tailed recesses 24, the recesses openin out throughone side of the inion or gear w ieel. Teeth 25 are provi ed withdove-tailed extensions 26 which are adapted to be received by'therecesses 24. The teeth 25 are secured within the recesses through themedium of an annular member 27 which is secured in a lied position bymeans of bolts 28. As the teeth of the pinion 0r gear wheel areremovably secured in applied position, one or more of the teeth may betooth or teeth 'being substituted for the removed tooth or teeth.

The connection between the engine shaft and the )ropeller shaft is suchthat the rotation of the former will simultaneously rotate the propellerwl'iecls 16. As the gear 22 is larger than the gear 17, the propellersare driven at high speed by a comparatively slow rotation of the engineshaft 18.

The use of a single engine. shaft to drive a plurality of propellers,permits the reduction of the number of engines necessary to propel aboat at high speed and affects a correspondcured to the learns orgirders 3 by means ofremoved when unfit for further use, a new ingsaving in fuel. and water. The construction in the propeller mechanismis such to prevent the engine shaft 18 from being spirally twisted.

- Itshould be apparent from the above description taken in connectionwith ;the accompanying drawings I provide a propeller mechanism which issimple of con-- struction which may be manufactured and.

sold. at s compnratievl'y low cost, and which. may he applied to a hostof any construction.

Uh enges in the form, proportion and minor details of construction mayhe {112M191 w iin the scope of the claim without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the ii'ivention, wltl'nt is claimed as new, is

A host comprising a T shaped structure consisting of a trensverselydisposedmember and e forwardly extending longitudinally disposed member,21, U-sheped structure consisting of a transversely disposed memh er andrearwardly extending longitudinally dismelee posed members, bearingssecured to the transversely disposed member of the T- shaped structureand to the longitudinally disposed members of the QU-shaped structure,shafts journeled in the hearings, propeller wh eels secured to theshafts, pioions secured to the shafts and disposed between thetransversely disposed members of the structures, hearings secured. tothe trensversely'dis osed nemhers of the structures and to theengit'udinelly disposed members of the T-shsped structure, a, shaftjourneled in the hearings, and a pinion mounted on the shaft and meshingwith the firstmsmed pinions, said last named pinion being also arrangedhetween the transversely disposed members of the structures.

In testimony whereof I affix my [signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES T. STAFFORD.

Witnesses FRANKIE MArrE,

Josnrn UNKELBAer-r.

